Billionaire’s Guilt: Chasing her back

Lily gasps awake, her back aching as she surveys her surroundings, the sound of hospital machines beeping in her ears. *What am I doing in a hospital?* she ponders, raising her hand to remove the oxygen mask pressing against her face. With a labored sigh, she attempts to lift herself up, feeling something pressing against her abdomen. Her gaze lowers, and she sees her swollen belly, causing her confusion to deepen. “What?” She sits up, leaning against the wall, her eyes fixed on her belly. “What is this? Am I sick, or am I pregnant?” She swallows hard, still trying to control her breathing. Then the door creaks open, and a female nurse enters, her expression a mix of surprise and relief. “Mrs. Storm, it’s good to see you’re awake!” The nurse exclaims, her tone filled with happiness. “Excuse me,” she adds before quickly exiting the room. Lily exhales heavily, still unsure of what’s happening. The door swings open once more, revealing him in his signature black-on-black suit, standing tall and commanding. Her husband, Lucian Storm. His dirty blonde hair appears disheveled, as if he's been going through a lot of stress, and his pale green eyes, usually so definitive, now seem unreadable—neither happy nor sad, just neutral as they fix on her. Lily observes as he strides toward her, his hands tucked into his pants pockets. “I’m glad to see you’re finally awake.” Lily blinks in confusion as she looks at him. “What happened? How long have I been here?” “Approximately two months,” he replies, his tone matter-of-fact. Shock courses through her, widening her eyes. “That long? What happened?” Lucian’s expression tightens at the inquiry. “What do you mean, ‘what happened’? Don’t you remember anything?” She casts her gaze downward, attempting to sift through her memories, but they remain elusive. Raising a hand to her head, she notices something wrapped around it. “I… I don’t understand. Why can’t I remember?” “What’s the last thing you do remember?” he probes, his curiosity evident. Meeting his gaze, she responds with a tinge of uncertainty. “I was in bed, with you. I… I felt sick that night and planned to seek medical attention the following day…” Her voice trails off as she shifts her focus to her abdomen, realization dawning. “I’m pregnant.” “Why? Did you mistake it for something else? Turning obese, perhaps?” he retorts with a furrowed brow, prompting Lily to meet his rudeness with a frown of her own. Then Lucian turns as the female doctor enters. “What took you so long, Doc? I made it clear that my wife is our top priority.” The doctor swallows nervously and offers an apology, “I’m sorry, Mr. Storm. I had to attend to a sick child…” “Just focus on my wife,” he dismisses her explanation, turning his attention back to Lily. “She claims she can't remember what happened to her.” Approaching Lily with concern, the doctor inquires, “How are you feeling, Mrs. Storm?” “Confused,” Lily responds honestly. “I have no idea how I ended up here.” The doctor proceeds to conduct a checkup, monitoring Lily's vitals before providing some reassurance, “You’re doing better now, Mrs. Storm. It appears you've only lost memory of a single day.” “And why is that?” Lucian interjects. Glancing at him, the doctor explains, “Given the impact of the accident on her head, it's not unusual for her to experience memory loss. However, forgetting an entire day suggests that a shock to her nervous system selectively erased those memories. This could have been triggered by the fear of death during the accident or another emotional factor.” “Emotional factor?” Lily questions, her brow furrowing in confusion. The doctor nods in affirmation, elaborating, “Indeed. What I described earlier is known as neurogenic amnesia, but there’s also the possibility of emotional shock. In this case, the intense emotions she experienced when faced with death caused a blockade, preventing the memory of that particular day from forming.” “Like… a form of repression,” Lucian interjects, his gaze lowered in contemplation. The doctor concurs, “Precisely. It’s referred to as psychogenic amnesia.” Lucian picks up the conversation, directing his attention to the doctor. “So, if it’s psychogenic, there’s a chance she can recover those memories?” The doctor responds, “It’s not guaranteed, but it is possible. There’s a significant likelihood of recovery if she actively desires it.” Curiosity sparks within Lily, and she raises a question that seems to mirror Lucian’s thoughts. "And if it's neurogenic?" "It would likely be permanent,” the doctor responds, her tone matter-of-fact. Lily sighs softly, a tinge of disappointment evident in her expression. The doctor attempts to alleviate her concerns. “I can’t guarantee which category your case falls into, but it shouldn’t cause significant distress since you haven’t forgotten people. However, I would still recommend therapy to help you navigate through this situation,” she assures Lily. Lily nods, taking note of the doctor's advice. “So, everything is alright then?” Lucian seeks reassurance. The doctor smiles warmly and nods. “We just need to conduct a few more tests on her and the babies. After that, we can determine if she’s ready to go home.” The doctor walks out, leaving Lucian standing by Lily’s bedside like a vigilant bodyguard, his arms crossed and his gaze unwaveringly fixed on her. Clearing her throat, Lily breaks the silence. “So, two months, huh? What have you been up to during that time?” Lucian shrugs nonchalantly. “What do you expect? Do I no longer appear busy to you?” She looks at him with a sigh, familiar with his blunt responses. “And what about becoming a father? How does it make you feel?” “It feels like something positive has finally come my way,” he responds matter-of-factly, before adding, “Now, I need to step out for a smoke,” and exits the room.